


Wake Up

by the_sinnamon_roll_writes



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M, angst then fluff, fem germany also kinda shows up cause i got lazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 13:41:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15631818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_sinnamon_roll_writes/pseuds/the_sinnamon_roll_writes
Summary: Ludwig goes to visit family.





	Wake Up

“Are you sure you have to leave?” Alfred asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft. He had his head rested on Ludwig’s chest and was tracing gentle shapes into his belly.

There was a brief pause where Ludwig grabbed Alfred’s hands and twined their fingers together. “Yes.”

“I just… Ludwig. I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to go either. But Gilbert needs my help. My mothers been getting worse. You know that.”

“But what if I need your help?” he asked, twisting his head to look up at Ludwig’s face.

Sighing, Ludwig craned his neck to press a kiss to Alfred’s forehead. “You can call me. I promise, I’ll always answer.”

“But-”

“Alfred, I promise.”

“What if it’s late and you’re asleep?”

“Then I’ll call you as soon as I wake up.”

Silence took over, and Alfred buried his face back in Ludwig’s chest. “Will you come back?” It wasn’t any louder than a whisper, and he was actually surprised that Ludwig could hear him.

“Of course. As soon as I help get my mother taken care of, I’ll be back with you.”

“Swear?”

“I swear.”

•••

“Hey Luddy! How’s Germany? Your family doing okay?” Ludwig had been gone for two weeks, and although he had stuck to his word and answered every call, Alfred still missed him terribly.

“Well… Gilbert’s fine. Our mother is- she’s actually doing worse. She’s really- deteriorated. It’s hard to watch.” Ludwig took a deep breath before he continued. “I think… I think I’ll have to stay here. She’s not going to be with us for very much longer, and I can’t leave Gilbert alone through this.”

“Oh… I’m so sorry babe. So- how long do you think it’ll take?” As soon as the question left his lips, he winced. He was well aware of how selfish he sounded, and he felt terrible for it, but it was impossible for him to ignore the ache in his chest.

“What?”

“I- I was just wondering if you’d be home soon.”

“Alfred, are you serious? My mother is dying, and you ask how long it will take? How could you be so terrible?” Ludwig’s voice was harsh, and even though he was thousands of miles away, the hard anger hit Alfred like a punch in the gut. “God, do you even care what my family is going through? What I’m going through?”

“No, Ludwig, I swear, I didn’t mean it like that! I just miss you-”

“I’m not interested in what you have to say right now. Goodbye.” And with a click, Alfred was left with dead air.

Numbly, Alfred lowered his phone, staring blankly ahead. He couldn’t believe he had been so tactless. Deep inside himself, he knew he was in the wrong, that he was being insensitive, but he couldn’t help but feel angry at Ludwig. Wasn’t he important too? How could he just leave him alone like that? Frustrated, he threw his phone down hard onto the couch. He scowled down at it a moment before stalking off to try and get his mind off of Ludwig and his own stupidity.

•••

“Ludwig? I’m sorry. I know I was terrible before, and I’m so so sorry. I wish I could take it back, I really do. I fucked up, I just miss you- please, its been days. I just want to- I mean I don’t want you to be angry with me. Please, please call me back.” With a heavy sigh, Alfred ended the call and gazed at his blank screen. He hadn’t thought Ludwig would give him the silent treatment, of all things, and he would have never guessed that it would last nearly a month. Sadly, he made his way to the room he once shared with Ludwig and flopped down onto the bed. Before he did, however, he slid his phone into his pocket. Just in case. Ludwig had promised, after all.

•••

After thirteen days, Alfred finally gave up trying to get ahold of Ludwig. If he gave Ludwig some time, he would surely come around and call him back. He was sure to carry his cell with him. Ludwig had promised.

•••

Ludwig had been gone for nearly a month when Alfred got the letter. The envelope was oddly lumped in one part, and the return address was in Germany. Discarding all the other mail onto his kitchen table, Alfred sat down, clutching the letter in his hands. The more he thought about it, the more he didn’t want to open it. After weeks of silence, he knew that it couldn’t contain any good news. His hands shook slightly as he slowly pulled open the envelope.

Turning it over to spill out its contents, Alfred was surprised to see what looked like roughly two dozen photos. Gingerly, he picked them up and began to look through them. They were all pictures of him, one or two by himself, but mostly alongside Ludwig. His chest ached when he realized that these were all photos of the many adventures they had had together. There was one from their trip up to British Columbia. Another from the time they went to South Africa. And the night Alfred had talked Ludwig into camping out on the coast… He felt his heart skip a beat when a folded piece of paper fluttered down from his hands to land on the floor. Head spinning, he reached down to pick it up, and flipped it open to read. He was surprised when he realized that the handwriting he was looking at was messy, not at all like Ludwig’s tidy scrawl.

_Alfred Jones  
My name is Gilbert. I don’t know if Ludwig ever told you anything about me, but I’m his brother. You already know Luddy came to visit, and help me take care of our mother a few months ago, and I’ll bet you’re wondering why he hasn’t contacted you since then. There’s no easy way for me to tell you this; Ludwig was in a car accident two weeks after he arrived here. He’s still alive, but he’s been in a coma. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this earlier. My little brother is in the hospital, and he might not survive. I didn’t know what to do._

_I found these pictures in his room. I know how much he loved you; I hope you loved him just as much. I also hope that these photos bring you some sort of peace. Again, I’m sorry I didn’t write or call you sooner. And I’m sorry I couldn’t keep him safe.  
Gilbert Beilschmitd_

A strange ringing had filled the room as Alfred read the note once, then a second time. He couldn’t quite process what he had just read. Strong, reliable Ludwig, stuck in the hospital? How could that be? In an almost trancelike state, Alfred walked into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water. Returning to the dining room to sit down, he slowly sipped his drink and stared down at the table. When he finished off the glass, he took a long, deep breath before standing back up and striding off to get his laptop. He had a flight to book.

•••

Although he wasn’t normally an anxious flier, Alfred had a hard time sitting still on the flight to Germany. He couldn’t be sure if it was the thought of seeing Ludwig in a hospital bed, or of meeting Gilbert for the first time under these circumstances that made him want to pace up and down the aisles of the airplane. Either way, he was sure that the young man sitting beside him was ready to throw him off the plane by the time they landed.

As soon as he made it through customs, Alfred shoved his way through the massive airport crowd and hailed down a taxi. All he had with him was a small travel bag with some clothes and a toothbrush and an address Ludwig had left him. The taxi ride there was nearly 45 minutes long, and Alfred spent the whole time fidgeting around, trying to think of how he would approach Ludwig’s brother. While he felt bad for the unplanned visit, he was determined to find the hospital Ludwig was in and see him. Normally he wouldn’t have bothered Gilbert, but he was the only person Alfred knew who knew where Ludwig was. Trying hard to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

From inside, Alfred could hear barking, and German shouting before the door swung open. “Wer ist- wer sind Sie?”

“Uh- Ich- Ich bin Alfred? I’m sorry, I don’t speak German very well-”

Realization spread across Gilbert’s face when he heard Alfred’s name. “Alfred? Ludwig’s man?”

“Yes! Are you Ludwig’s brother? Gilbert?”

“I am. What are you doing here?” Gilbert’s English was thickly accented. He was almost as attractive as his brother, with a lean body and silvery hair. His face, however, was haggard, dull eyes seeming to sink into his head.

Alfred blinked. He hadn’t actually thought through what he wanted to say to him, and now that he was here, Alfred found himself put on the spot with nothing to say. “I- I just need to see him,” was all he could get out.

Understanding flashed across Gilbert’s face. “Alright,” he said, opening the door wider. “I need to put on some shoes. Would you like to come in?”

“No, thank you. I’ll just wait here.” Alfred awkwardly turned to face the street after the door closed. His stomach churned, and he had to breathe deeply and squeeze his eyes shut to avoid tipping over.

It only took a moment for Gilbert to return and march to his car. Unlocking it, he gestured for Alfred to take the passenger seat. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as Gilbert started the vehicle and began to drive. Alfred struggled not to squirm too much beside Gilbert’s stoicism. Unable to take the quiet, he decided to try and make conversation.

“So, how’s your mom doing?” Alfred immediately regretted the question as sorrow took over Gilbert’s face.

“She passed away. Two weeks ago.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

Once again, silence took over. This time, Alfred settled for simply staring out the window, gazing at the unfamiliar passing landscape. It wasn’t long before they reached the hospital, maybe ten minutes, but Alfred leapt from the car as though they’d been driving for hours. He waited impatiently for Gilbert to join him. “Where are we going? What room?”

“He’s in 246. Just follow me.”

Nodding obediently, Alfred trailed closely, all but holding Gilbert’s hand to keep up. As they walked through the sterile halls, making their way up stairs and around corners, Alfred only felt more and more anxious. Ludwig didn’t belong in a place like this. Ludwig was warm and strong, nothing like the other frail patients that occupied the building. His mind raced with possibilities as they neared room 246.

243.

Maybe Ludwig had woken up.

244.

Maybe this was some elaborate hoax.

245.

Maybe Ludwig had died.

246.

They stopped in front of the door, Gilbert grim, Alfred apprehensive. When Alfred looked over at the other man, Gilbert nodded. Reaching for the handle, Alfred pushed the door open and stepped inside. There was no life in the room. There was no death. There was no one springing out to scare him. There was just Ludwig, laying on a bed that took up much of the room.

His skin was waxy, and held none of the strength that Alfred had relied on. Finally seeing Ludwig, his Ludwig, in such a state, the reality of the situation finally set in. Alfred felt dizzy, and was having trouble breathing. Stumbling over to the bed, he struggled to keep from throwing himself down next to Ludwig. His breath was coming in short gasps now as he picked up Ludwig’s hand and grimaced as he felt how frail and clammy it was.

“Luddy…” he managed to croak. Tears started to fill his eyes, and he lowered his head, pressing Ludwig’s knuckles to his forehead. “Fuck. Lud, I’m so sorry. Our last- God, I can’t believe we were fighting. I couldn’t even make up with you,” he whispered. He was scared if he spoke too loud, he would lose the little composure he still had left.

It seemed to take forever for Alfred to get ahold of himself. In actuality, it had only taken five minutes. When he looked up, he saw that Gilbert was still standing in the doorway, gazing down at the floor. Suddenly, it dawned on Alfred just how much pain Gilbert must have been in. He had lost his mother, and possibly his little brother in the span of a few short weeks. How he could keep from breaking down, Alfred had no idea. “Gilbert?”

There was no verbal answer. The German man just looked up at Alfred.

“I’m- thanks, for bringing me here. It must be hard, seeing your brother like this.”

Slowly, Gilbert nodded before he turned around and disappeared from the room. Sadly, Alfred looked back at Ludwig. With a soft sigh, Alfred reached out to stroke through Ludwig’s hair and began to talk. He talked about his favorite memories, about when they had planned for the future, what Alfred had been going through the last months. As he spoke, he gently shuffled around, adjusting the pillows and blankets in the way he knew Ludwig liked. Once he finished with that, he moved a chair onto the floor beside Ludwig’s head. Although the chair was much shorter than the bed, Alfred still craned his arms up to pet Ludwig’s hair. Occasionally he would run his hands down Ludwig’s cheek, in the same way he used to wake him up on lazy days.

“I miss ya. I know I was terrible before,” he said, guilt rising in his throat. “I just- I really needed you. I need you now. Please.” His voice was cut off by the lump in his throat. Leaning forward, Alfred pressed his face into the bed at Ludwig’s side and finally let the tears flow. Seeing Ludwig like this was excruciating enough on its own; that their last conversation ended in a fight only compounded that pain.

He cried for what felt like hours until there seemed to be no tears left. It didn’t take long after that for the combination of jet lag and emotional exhaustion to drag him down to seep in his chair.

He was woken, however, only minutes after he dozed off by a doctor marching into the room. The doctor frowned when she saw Alfred jerk up. “Wer sind Sie mit Ludwig bezogen?”

“Ah- sorry?”

“Sind Sie Familie? Wer sind Sie zu Ludwig bezogen?”

“Famil- oh, am I family? Uh, I’m not exactly related. I mean- ah- ich bin einer Mann?” he tried his best at communicating, but his German was restricted to the few things he had picked up from listening to Ludwig. “Wie… Wie geht es dein?”

The woman stared at him for a solid minute, trying to work out exactly what he was trying to convey. Without breaking her gaze, she sighed and tried again.

“Who are you?” Each word was precise and articulated and in spite of her accent, she was very easy to understand.

“Oh! I’m Alfred. Ludwig’s my husband.”

“I see. You’ll have to move so I can have some access to your husband.”

Nodding, Alfred stood hurriedly and moved to lean against the doorway. “So…” Alfred trailed of awkwardly, not sure if he would end up distracting her. Apparently he wasn’t though, as the doctor didn’t reply, or even acknowledge that he had spoken. Taking a deep breath, Alfred fought to keep from breaking the silence to avoid sidetracking the doctor from her work.

Just as she was making her way to the door, Alfred found his guts. “How is he?”

She looked over at him, frowning. “No ones told you?”

“Told- told me what?” Alfred said, voice rising, and panic filled his face. Was Ludwig going to stay in a coma? Would he not be qualified to be taken care of in the hospital? If he did wake up, would he ever be able recover?

Sensing the fear radiating from Alfred, the doctor quickly responded. “He’s doing well. It was hit and miss for a while, but he’s fast on the road to recovery. He’s already been starting to respond to stimuli. At this rate, he should be conscious and on his way to recovery very soon.”

Allowing himself a small smile, Alfred walked back to the chair and collapsed down into it. Rubbing his face with his hands, he took several deep breaths. It felt as though a great weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. Before she could leave the room, Alfred called after her. “Wait- what’s your name?”

“Monika Schröder.”

“Can I stay here until he wakes up?”

“Our visiting hours are eight in the morning to nine at night. There are several hotels in the area close by. I’m sure you could find one with a vacancy.”

“Oh… Okay.” As she walked from the room, Alfred turned his attention back to Ludwig. The gentle rise and fall of his chest now bought Alfred some comfort. He would be okay. Ludwig would pull through. Even though he looked fragile now, Ludwig was still strong. Moving slowly, Alfred reached out and took Ludwig’s hand once again. “Can you hear me? The doc said you’ll be just fine. Now I gotta try and figure out my way around this place though. You were supposed to be with me the first time I came here, remember? So you could show me around? But you just had to get yourself in the hospital. Well, you’re not gonna get out of it so easy. Once you’re up and moving, you’re showing me all the fun crap there is to do around here.”

He paused when the door opened once again. “Alfred? I have to go. Do you have a place to stay?” Gilbert’s attention was entirely on Alfred. It took Alfred a moment to realize that he hadn’t looked at Ludwig at all whenever he was in the room.

“I’ll figure something out. Thanks for getting me here.”

As Gilbert turned and left the room, Alfred glanced out the window and sighed when he saw that the sun was starting to go down. “I should probably leave. I gotta find some place to sleep tonight. I hope I’ll be able to find a room this late in the day… Anyways, I’ll see you tomorrow Lud. I’ll be back first thing!” He felt only a little silly talking to a man who was possibly entirely unaware of his surroundings. Still, he had to hope that Ludwig could hear him. “I love ya,” he added, more softly.

Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, Alfred made to turn around and leave before something made him stop in his tracks. Ludwig had squeezed his hand back. Mind racing, Alfred bounced up and down before practically prancing out of the room. He wasn’t totally sure what it meant, but he knew it couldn’t be bad. With a lighter heart than he had had for weeks, Alfred made his way out of the hospital and set out to find a place to stay.

•••

“They said you opened your eyes the other day. Monika said that’s a big improvement. I wish I had been there. I miss your eyes.” Alfred had taken his place in the chair at Ludwig’s side. He had been there nearly a week now, arriving every day at eight and leaving at nine, and Ludwig’s state was steadily improving. Doctor Schröder had been keeping him updated on his progress. Alfred spent much of his day talking to Ludwig. When he got bored, he would wander around the hospital, exploring his surroundings and taking everything in. On the third day, he had downloaded a book to his phone and spent the entire afternoon reading out loud to Ludwig. “So when are you gonna finally come to? You’ve been doing better and better each day, but you’re still not with us. At least, not all the way, I mean. You know I hate waiting!”

•••

Eight AM on the twelfth day Alfred had been there seemed no different than any of the other days. Ludwig had continued to advance regularly, and was even moving his arms and legs around at times. So when Alfred arrived at the hospital, he was surprised to see the door to Ludwig’s room was open and the curtains around his bed were the only thing shielding him from the hallway. Glancing around, he saw that there was no one close enough to question, so he simply stepped inside. He pulled open the curtain to reveal Ludwig, and gasped. Ludwig was resting, propped up against the head board of the bed. His eyes, although he seemed to be struggling with them, were open.

“Ludwig…?” Alfred whispered, eyes wide.

The German focused in on Alfred and managed a small smile before his eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness once again.

Heart soaring, Alfred shot out into the hallway. “Hello? Nurse? Or- doctor?”

It only took a moment for two nurses to come running. “What is it?”

“Ludwig- did he sit himself up like that?” he asked, practically vibrating in excitement.

Relief shone through on both nurse’s faces. “Oh,” the one on the right said, as the other turned to walk away. “No. Doctor Schröder thought that since he seems to be becoming more aware of his surroundings, we might start sitting him up for periods of time. The hope is that the visual stimuli might help move things along.”

Alfred deflated, but only for a moment. “Well that’s awesome! It’s helping then, huh?”

The nurse smiled indulgently. “We believe so, yes.”

“Cool, thanks!” With that, Alfred turned around to return to Ludwig.

•••

It was only two days later that Alfred finally got to hear Ludwig’s voice again. He had just settled down by Ludwig’s side after getting himself breakfast when Ludwig’s eyes broke open. Although this had become a regular occurrence, it still bought a bright smile to Alfred’s face.

“Hey Luddy. How’re ya feeling?” It was a question Alfred asked every day when he arrived at the room. He never expected a reply, it was just something he felt strangely compelled to do.

So that was why he damn near jumped out of his skin when Ludwig answered.

“Alfred. Not great.”

Leaping to his feet, Alfred had to grab the bed railings to keep from throwing himself down onto the German. “Oh my god! Ludwig, you just talked! You’re here again!”

Ludwig winced at the loud outburst. His mind was still hazy, and it was clearly difficult for him to focus. “What do you mean, again?”

“You’ve been in a coma,” Alfred said cheerfully, leaning in to place a kiss to Ludwig’s forehead. “Almost a month now!”

“A month? But what- my mother! She… She’s dead?” Ludwig’s face twisted as he struggled to stay conscious and to remember what happened. 

Confusion spread on Alfred’s face. “How did you know that?”

“I don’t… know…” he slurred. Unable to hold on any longer, Ludwig’s eyes shut and he slipped back to sleep.

Alfred didn’t mind. The way he saw it, Ludwig was officially cured. He would be confused and upset for awhile while he got caught up on things, but Alfred was ready to work through that with him. As Alfred sat back down, he began to try and work out the best way to break it to Ludwig what had happened. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he wasn’t entirely sure himself what had occurred. As reluctant as he was to leave Ludwig after this most recent development, Alfred knew what he had to do. With a heavy sigh, he stood up and left the room. It was time to get Gilbert.

•••

The lights were still on in the house where Alfred banged away at the door. Although he had no way of knowing whether Gilbert was home, he still knocked persistently. “Gilbert! It’s Alfred! You home?”

After a solid two minutes, Alfred finally relented. Pulling out his wallet, he dug through it until he found an outdated business card. Then he rummaged through his pocket to retrieve a pen. Leaning against the door, he scribbled out a quick note onto the back of the card and carefully wedged it in the crack of the door. Rubbing his forehead, Alfred walked back down to the street to try and catch a cab.

•••

Ludwig was steadily staying conscious for longer and longer periods. Alfred was trying his hardest to keep him cheerful, steering clear of family matters altogether. He filled their conversations with silly stories that had happened in their time apart, even going so far as to make up a few to keep the words flowing. However, as he started to stay awake for longer chunks of time, it became difficult, then impossible to avoid the conversation.

“Alfred?”

“Yeah?” The American in question sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed beside Ludwig’s legs.

“Do you know where my brother is? Or why he hasn’t come to see me?”

Alfred struggled with the question a moment. He was torn between trying to come up with some placating answer and just telling the truth; he had no idea why Gilbert hadn’t come to the hospital. After a pause, he decided it would be best to not lie. “I don’t know. He took me here the first day I was here, but I haven’t seen him since then. Do you- do you remember anything from before you were in the accident? Were you guys fighting or something?”

Ludwig screwed up his face as he tried to think back. “I don’t- think so. The last thing I remember… Going to my mother’s funeral. Then- Gilbert was driving us home. We were talking about our mother, and some of our favorite memories with her, and- that’s all I can remember.”

“Wow, it was so soon after your mom- wait, did you say Gilbert was driving?”

“Yes?” The question was only half out of Ludwig’s mouth before he got it. His face fell, and he leaned forward to cover it with his hands. “Oh god. Yes. He was.”

Sadly, Alfred placed a comforting hand on Ludwig’s thigh. “Hey. He’ll come around now that he knows you’re okay! He’s probably just trying to work out what he wants to say to you!”

Despite the reassurance, Ludwig still looked miserable. “He’s so stupid. How is he supposed to make anything up to me if he doesn’t come see me?”

Alfred could only shake his head and scoot up to squeeze in alongside him. Gently resting his arm around Ludwig’s shoulder, he kissed the top of Ludwig’s head when it nuzzled into his neck.

“He’s my only family left.”

It was just a whisper, but Alfred felt his heart break at those words. As much as he wanted to promise that he would always be Ludwig’s family, Alfred knew that that wasn’t what he had meant. There was something special about the family you grew up with, who took care of you, and saw you through your best and worst years. When he felt tears start to dampen his shirt, Alfred nearly started to cry himself. “I’m sorry Luddy.”

•••

When Alfred went to Gilbert’s house the next day, he was more than determined to confront him. He was ready to camp out on his front porch all night if he had to. Luckily, Gilbert answered the door quickly. He looked weary and resigned. “What is it?”

“You gotta go see Ludwig.”

“Why should I? I almost killed him.”

“You’re his brother! You’re his only living relative, and he’s yours!”

Gilbert scowled. “You don’t have to remind me that. Now please leave. I’d like to be left alone.”

Staring him down with a scowl of his own, Alfred remained firmly planted on the porch. “Your brother wants to see you.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“What- yeah right! You haven’t spoken to him since before the accident, you’ve gotta have something you wanna say to him!”

“No, I don’t. What do you care anyway?”

Alfred could feel the anger bubbling away in his stomach. “Care? I care for Ludwig more than anything. He’s in pain right now because his only brother won’t talk to him.”

Guilt flashed across Gilbert’s face. “I’m sorry. Please leave.”

With that, Gilbert let the door swing shut.

•••

Alfred returned to the hospital in a foul mood. He did his best to hide it in front of Ludwig, but he was awful at containing his feelings, and Ludwig noticed that something was off right away.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” Alfred replied, trying to sound casual.

“Uh huh. What is it?”

Alfred sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to argue. “I went to see Gilbert.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well… What did he say?”

“He won’t see you.”

Ludwig fell silent at that. His face was hard to read, but Alfred could feel the desolation radiating from him. Helplessly, Alfred walked over to stand by his side and gently rubbed his shoulders. He was at a loss for words. Nothing he could say would make a difference in this situation, and that made him want to scream.

“Alfred?”

“Yeah babe?”

“Could you… Could you leave me alone for a while?” Ludwig asked, staring down at the sheets.

“Yeah. Should I come back in a few hours?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Alright. I love ya Lud.”

“I love you too.”

•••

Alfred spent his time away from the hospital exploring the surrounding buildings. Although his German was limited, he was able to figure out what some of them were. There was a small store, a bookshop, a bakery, and what seemed to be an accounting office of some sort. After three and a half hours of snooping around, Alfred decided that enough time had passed.

It only took him a few minutes to reach the hospital and then only another minute to get to Ludwig’s room. When he arrived, the first thing he noticed was the fluorescent lights shining through the window of the closed door. The lights were only ever on when someone was visiting. The next thing he saw was a slim figure, standing in the room beside Ludwig’s bed. It’s shoulders were hunched over and shaking, as though the person were crying. As he peered in closer, Alfred felt his heart soar when he saw the head of feathery silver hair.

A big part of him wanted desperately to run in and throw his arms around Gilbert for finding the courage to see his brother. But he understood that the two needed their time to mourn and take comfort in each other. Smiling to himself, Alfred left to go find a seat in the hospital lobby.

•••

Although he understood that Ludwig and Gilbert needed to do some reconciling, Alfred found himself getting bored of waiting after nearly two hours. He had already gone outside and wandered the perimeter of the hospital twice, and had finished a chapter in his book, and was finding it hard to concentrate on anything for more than a half an hour. Still, he was determined to let Ludwig have this.

•••

At least until the third hour passed. The sky was starting to get dark, and as much as he hated to interrupt them, Alfred wanted to say goodnight to Ludwig. Hesitantly, he approached the room and knocked on the door. Opening it, Alfred poked his head inside. “Lud? I just wanted to say goodnight-”

He was cut off when Gilbert grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him into a massive bear hug. “Thank you Alfred.”

Totally caught off guard, Alfred hugged him back. “What?”

Pulling away, Gilbert grasped his shoulders and grinned. “You got to me. You convinced me what a dumbass I was being!”

“Oh!” said Alfred, a pleased smile creeping across his face. “I guess I really saved the day, huh?”

Gilbert seemed to ignore that. “What took you so long? I was waiting to leave so I could thank you. Ludwig said you’d only be a couple of hours.”

“Well, first of all, I said a few, not a couple. Second, I thought you two would want to be left alone for a bit. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Ludwig looked surprised. “Alfred, that’s… Uncharacteristically thoughtful of you.”

Alfred wasn’t sure how to take that statement, so he settled for just squinting down at Ludwig.

“Well, I’ve gotta go you two. My dog is probably getting lonely. I’ll see both of you tomorrow!” And with that, Gilbert left like a whirlwind, seeming to take all the energy in the room with him.

“Wow. Your brother has a big personality when he’s not super depressed.”

“Kind of like you. Come here,” Ludwig ordered, holding out a hand. Alfred obeyed, taking the outstretched hand in his own, then bringing it up to his mouth to kiss.

“Any idea when you’re getting out of here?”

“Doctor Schröder said I should be discharged by the end of the week. We could be home by next weekend.”

Smiling widely, Alfred perched himself beside Ludwig on the bed. He began idly playing with Ludwig’s hair, gently scratching his scalp and pressing kisses to his temple. “Home. That sounds nice. So does the ‘we.’ I’ve missed us being home.”

“So have I.”

Just as Alfred was bending over to place a kiss on Ludwig’s lips, the door to the room swung open and an orderly popped her head in. “Es ist neun Uhr. Besuchszeiten sind vorbei.”

Confused, Alfred looked down to Ludwig for a translation.

“It’s time for you to leave.”

“Okay,” Alfred said. Cheerfully he turned to the door and called back, “Ja! Ich will verlassen! Sehen Sie bis morgen!”

Ludwig stared at Alfred as though he had grown a third eye. “Do you know even half the words you just said?”

Looking only slightly hurt, Alfred nodded. “Yeah! I said I’ll leave, and see her tomorrow morning!”

“No, you- well, you did your best, I suppose. Bis morgen, Liebling.”

Alfred smiled, and turned to walk to the door. Before he could reached it, however, he stopped himself and spun around to dart over to Ludwig’s bed. Leaning over, Alfred gave Ludwig a tender kiss before he straightened back up to leave the room. Calling over his shoulder, Alfred grinned and said, “See ya tomorrow! I love ya!”

“I love you too Alfred.”


End file.
